Have you ever been stopped in your tracks because of God's creation? Has it ever moved you to smile or grin or even thank God for all the beautiful things He has given us? I can definitely relate to a life of non exposure or should I say, lack of interest in the creation. By creation I mean the things created by God. A sunset or sunrise, the crashing of the waves, the wind blowing across your face, the beautiful array of colors that fill the sky each and every night. (Do you know that not a day goes by where it isn't beautiful in some way. It can even be the way the rain falls from the sky, or the way the green hills ripple against the backdrop of a blue sky. True beauty is in the eye of the beholder. We all ewe and awe over different things. Some things are move beautiful to me than they are to you, but some things in this world make most of us drop our jaw when we look upon them. Throughout my life with God I started to notice so much more about this world that He has created than I ever had before. I started to notice, really He started to take things out of my life and let my eyes enjoy what truly is beautiful. Have you every looked at the rolling hills or the way the wild flowers will dance in the wind with their beautiful colors and shapes? Sure I looked at the sun setting in the sky and commented on how amazing it looked, but was I touched? Was I moved to thank God for His beauty, and enjoy this part of abundant life that He offers? Was I taking in the creation for all that it was worth? Was I noticing God's hand on everything my eye could see? Was I amazed at His vastness to never repeat himself? His ability to ewe and awe me every single day? I started to think about this the other day when I was getting out of my car one November morning. As I was getting out of the car I was hit in the face with this beautiful sky. I wasn't intentionally looking at the sky but the clouds were wrapped around me so tight. It looked as if God had decided to do a little shading with his fluffy white clouds against a sea of blue. It actually made me double take. Not the kind of double take where sin is staring you in the face. I'm talking about the kind of second stare (not glance) that you had no control over. It was as if God had pre-programed me to look twice. I just couldn't get over it, it was so beautiful. The crazy thing is, it wasn't the best early morning sky that I have ever seen, it was just a beautiful sky that my Father was sharing with me on my way to work. How wonderful is it that God shares all this with us. The fact that we have our senses. I can actually enjoy food and have my thirst quenched. Have you ever really looked at the colors of our food? The bright shiny red and green apples, the beautiful orange, purples, and yellows? I try to make myself remember that this food has always had this beautiful color. It could be so much more mundane and boring, but it's not. There is life in everything we do and experience. Whether it's kissing my wife and holding her close or thanking my parents for all they've done in my life, I get to feel those things all the way to my core. I get to wake up to a beautiful morning sky and watch how God closes out the day with His every changing setting sun. The smell of the forest or listening to the waves crash against the shore. Watching my nieces come into this world through my own set of eyes. What an incredible God we serve, really what an incredible God who serves His people. Don't miss it! I'm asking God for one thing, only one thing: To live with him in his house my whole life long. I'll contemplate his beauty; I'll study at his feet. Psalms 27:4 (Message)
JTH
